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Photo courtesy New York Daily Photo.
Meet Arlene Harrison, the self-described “Mayor of Gramercy Park.” She’s the one to talk to if undesirables are spotted infiltrating the private oasis, which requires a key for entry and exit, as two women recently discovered when a maintenance worker ejected them during their Saturday picnic. How did he know they were not quite the right material? They were probably breaking the rules by enjoying the park.
Harrison, who runs the Gramercy Park Block Association, would never enter it for such crass purposes. The Times spent a snobby day with her as she made her daily 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. rounds to confer with the supers and property owners who hold coveted keys to Manhattan’s only private park. She explains that she rejected a proposed playground because it's "too much wear and tear. The children who grow up here learn to use their imagination." And the park should be used (enjoyed?) as little as possible because it “was always an ornamental park...like a hotel room with a view of the ocean.”
Besides outlawing Frisbees, soccer balls, and other imagination-impeding devices, the profile goes on to detail a bitter feud between Harrison and the president of the National Arts Club, whose “populist agitations” would turn the fastidiously manicured park into a place for parties and dancing. Not on Harrison’s watch – she started the block association in 1994 after her son was violently mugged in front of her building. Which speaks volumes about her crusade to impose a bit of flawless order on an always unpredictable city.
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I usually hate when people use the word, but it seems justified here.
Arlene Harrison, you are a cunt.
I've been by that park, there is never anyone in it, what a waste of space! It should be opened up to the public.
i understand it's a private park, etc. but shouldn't the lucky few who have access get to decide how best to use it?
I hear Deadsy have access.
I trust that none of my tax money is used to maintain this park; where I am not allowed entry.
I'm torn. I think NYC needs more parks for people to enjoy, but this is private property owned by the buildings on the park. So they should be able to keep it private if they want to.
That said, this woman is totally a bitch.
she makes the rounds every morning to make sure there are no brown people inside
While leaning against that park fence I once made out with and groped under the clothes a nice Italian chick from Bay Ridge while she whispered stuff in my ear in at least five different languages. I hope Ms. Harrison was watching from her window and getting really upset about it.
it wasn't always a locked park, students from Stuy used to use that park a lot. along with that other school W.I.
@moocowtoo
"I've been by that park, there is never anyone in it"
That's the point. She doesn't want anyone in there especially "wrong type people." It's a look but don't touch scenario.
I wonder if Zeckendorf gave Arlene a taste. The Salvation Army's ladies boarding house which is on the SE corner of Irving Place and Gramercy Park South is one valuable piece of real estate. The article in the Times describes the project as floor through apartments. We're probably talking 8 figures per apartment here. You can bet that the city won't make a deal for some low income or senior housing, let's see if they get one of those 10 year abated tax incentives.
The next rumor will be started by the interior demolishing teams, it will be about baby bones under the floorboards.
I guess the next step is dispossessing all the old maids who have been living there for many years at ridiculous rents that included two (you can bet) wholesome meals a day.
The city will use eminent domain to take a barber shop or shoe repair business away for some project, but that park will remain private because of the heavy political contributors who have keys to the park.
I just wish I could go in even though I live a few blocks away from the park.
"Manhattan’s only private park"
The Kips Bay Towers on 30th and 33rd and between 1st and 2nd have a private park between them.
It's bigger and better in almost every way than Gramercy Park, and allows everything that Harrison does not.
The Kips Bay Towers are private? because I've gone over there to play Basketball before, unless I'm thinking of somewhere different.
#9 - you're confusing Gramercy Park with Stuyvesant Square Park. Stuyvesant Sq. is right next to the old Stuy High. The parks look somewhat similar in that both are surrounded by high cast iron fences. Stuy Sq. though is a city park and the gates are only locked at night.
Just climb the fence and walk all over the grass with your frisbee in hand. That'll stick it to her.
[Then go and take a shit on her doorstep and beat her son up again.]
If there has ever been a case for eminent domain this is it. Making that park public would clearly benefit society at large. There were no listings for Eminent Domain Enforcer in the Yellow Pages, who does one call to make this happen?
"It’s like a hotel room with a view of the ocean."
So a lot of people get laid in it?
Why don't people go by and throw birdseed over the fence into the park. On a consistent basis, it would f*ck things up nicely for her.
www.nycgovparks.org
Lists events at Gramercy Park, even though it doesn't list it as a park. Better not be any public money shenanagans afoot.
I love the bird seed idea. Good call.
#18 - Brilliant. Love it.
What exactly is the definition of a "private park?"
The Coliseum coop at Columbus Circle has a private park that's only accessible through the buildings. And down on the LES, the Seward Park coop has a private park for which you need a key to get in or out. And the East River and Hillman coops on the LES have private parks (although I don't think you need a key). Also 1 Sutton Place has a private park on land that was previously leased from the city (anybody know the status of that?).
Then there are community gardens like the Clinton Community Garden, access to which requires living within a certain radius and paying for a key.
So what makes Gramercy so unique, other than the snootiness of the people who run it? It seems there are actually quite a few private parks in Manhattan.
"Why don't people go by and throw birdseed over the fence into the park. On a consistent basis, it would f*ck things up nicely for her."
how about birdseed and alka seltzers? dead exploded bird carcasses everywhere.
Hope her children grow up to be imaginative, morbidly obese, lazy and crippled by heart disease. What does she need an ornamental park for, anyway? She can always just imagine it instead.
If it becomes public it will just eventually be turned into another of NYU's "campuses". Think of what happened to Washington square. Keep it private
If you could choose a condo complex, or Gramercy Park, which would you choose?
Where is the tolerance?!?
@14
Yeah it's private. It was public for a bit in the '80s (as I've been told by someone that was a resident at that time), but it's now supposed to be private (i.e., for residents of the buildings).
What's interesting is that actors were among the first to live around Gramercy Park, and during that time, actors were considered undesirables in "proper" society.
What part of 'private property' don't you commies understand? The city couldn't maintain the public parks it has already without private donations.
If Gramercy Park hadn't been guarded and nurtured since it was established in 1831, the land it sits on would just be another couple of blocks of overpriced brownstones. Or the park would have spent most of the last 180 years as an open-air urinal ike Tompkins Square
I always lend my "key" to those nice kids on the subway in the hoodies. They tell me how enriching the greenery and fresh air has been to their lives as muggers, stabbers nad petty thieves.
Oh, and #29, Actors are still "undesirables".
Gramercy Park should be open to all New Yorkers. This is ridiculous.
I hear that May 31st was promised as a day the park would be open to all. They reneged.
www.forgotten-ny.com
You can bet her kids are losers.
the birdseed/bread crumbs sounds like a plan.
I hope that was her only son.
Wow, what a serious self-centered disgusting cunt!
36 comments indicate that she at least has a life and the other 36 don't.
It's private property, a private park, she is the head of the association that maintains it. Why is that so hard to understand, you effing commies?
Do you give a crap what someone in Queens does with their back yard? Of course not.
Does she tell you how to maintain your apartment? Of course not.
You are being manipulated.
So, STFU and grow a roof garden of your own, whiners!
Hey Kevin:
They cancelled the public day last year too. By the way, apparently the park doesn't pay any taxes. I'm sure they're scamming public money in other ways as well...
I'm totally chucking some birdseed next time I go past. Brilliant idea.
What's wrong with economic segregation the rich
and wannabees have always had the illusion of
PRIV ah cee.
How is this private park any different that your
average schmuck doorman in our buildings asking
who you wish to see when stepping inside.
Unless you or your family need food we let them
have there illusions of being private and safe.
I have seen Julia Roberts leave her home across
from the park once has nuttin to do with this story
on this nutjob lady who shud dah been a well doorman.
make sure that 10 lb bag of birdseed accidentally has a hole in it. maybe that carrot punctured it while it was put in your bag. you know this place has cameras everywhere. then we can mao tse dong that place with flying pigeons.
Why not collect all the dogshit from around that gated fortress and fling it over the fence as well? Arlene could use some likeminded companions.
Yah der dog piss really gets to the homeowners there
it makes them have to replace the sidewalk and
concrete that holds up the fence bout every 10 yrs.
They used to,(perhaps still do?) have a "Canine Carnival" outside the park. Fun for the old
farts,fun,fun.fun.They announce the doggie carnival
ever so quietly to make sure only the area
people show up,cute,cute,cute.
Priv Vah See.
I used to walk by there all the time, and yeah... thanks for beating me to it! The poetic justice conjured by the sight of hundreds of nyc dogs pissing on the walls to the place each day made me kind of chuckle every time.